Park Se-il moves to form a center-right political party ahead of next year’s elections Amid moves to create alternative political parties ahead of general elections next year, a former right-wing lawmaker seeks to form a new party embracing both conservatives and moderate liberals. Park Se-il, president of the Hansun Foundation, who has spoken for right wing conservatives and often raised issue...

GNP likely to push Assembly vote on Korea-U.S. trade deal A showdown between ruling and opposition lawmakers looms over the parliamentary ratification of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, as rival political parties showed little willingness to compromise. The governing Grand National Party on Thursday decided to force the bill through, a move likely to lead to an ugly brawl among legislators...

GNP may push for vote on Korea-U.S. FTA bill on Nov. 24 The Democratic Party on Wednesday refused to make any concession in its opposition to the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, rejecting President Lee Myung-bak’s offer to seek revision of a disputed part of the deal after its ratification. The liberal main opposition party, instead, demanded written commitments from both the Korean and U.S. g...

Decision to donate wealth interpreted as preliminary step to enter politics Entrepreneur-turned-professor Ahn Cheol-soo is back into the political limelight after he unveiled his plan on Monday to donate a large portion of his wealth to society. Although he insisted that it has long been his plan to fulfill his social responsibility as part of the privileged upper echelon, the decision was cons...

President tells opposition Seoul will ask U.S. to revise disputed FTA clause if Assembly passes bill President Lee Myung-bak offered Tuesday to open a new round of negotiations with the U.S. on a set of controversial clauses in the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, once the parliament ratifies the treaty. Lee made the proposal to Rep. Sohn Hak-kyu, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Part...

Discontent with establishment tears down wall between political circle, civil society Hundreds of participants looked upbeat about the prospects of the organization they were launching in Seoul last Thursday. Having named their group the “Country I Dream Of,” they pledged to realize the dream through active political participation. Their immediate concern was apparently next April’s parliamenta...

(Yonhap News) President tells opposition Seoul will ask U.S. to revise disputed FTA clause if Assembly passes bill President Lee Myung-bak offered Tuesday to open a new round of negotiations with the U.S. on a set of controversial clauses in the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, once the parliament ratifies the treaty. Lee made the proposal to Rep. Sohn Hak-kyu, chairman of the main opposition ...

Star computer software entrepreneur Ahn Cheol-soo said Tuesday his decision to make a massive donation of personal wealth was a long-held dream of his but declined to comment on whether the decision is related to his political ambitions. Ahn, the founder of South Korea's No. 1 anti-virus software firm AhnLab, announced Monday that he will donate about 150 billion won (US$133 million), or half of...

A prominent computer software entrepreneur said Monday he will donate about 150 billion won ($133 million) to help educate children of low-income families. "I plan to use about half of my shares of AhnLab for the society," Ahn Cheol-soo said in an e-mail announcement to employees of AhnLab. Ahn, who set up the country's No. 1 anti-virus software firm, expressed hope that his donation will be us...